Applications Available Now for ESO Music Director Andrew Grams’ Masterclass for Adults Feb 9

Posted by d.handler, Community Contributor

Andrew Grams Masterclass for Adults no-fee applications are available now at ElginSymphony.Org

Andrew Grams Masterclass for Adults no-fee applications are available now at ElginSymphony.Org (Posted by d.handler, Community Contributor)

Community Contributor d.handler

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra (ESO) is now accepting applications for its first ever adult masterclass with world-renowned conductor and ESO music director Andrew Grams, to be held Saturday, February 9, 1:00-3:00 pm at the Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin. Applications from adult (including college) ensembles or soloists are available now at ElginSymphony.Org and are due January 1, 2019. There are no application fees and all instruments may apply. The general public is invited to attend ESO masterclasses, which are always free. For more information about the application process, contact Wendy Evans at w.evans@elginsymphony.org or call 847.888.4000.

As part of its ongoing mission, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra provides educational opportunities and community engagement "believing that symphonic music enriches humanity." Masterclasses are one facet of this effort to improve musicians' and non-musicians' understanding of the essentials of music. Free educational programs include the Listeners Club held the Wednesday before each classical concert at Gail Borden Library in Elgin and The Greenfields of Geneva. Monthly radio programs on 101.5FM WHRU-LP Huntley Community Radio allow any individual the opportunity to be a part of the ESO learning community. Musically Speaking Pre-Concert Chats offer Maestro Grams and/or a visiting artist the opportunity to share background information on the weekend's concerts. Ainsworth Concerts for Youth™ open the hearts and minds of over 7000 school age children to the beauty of symphonic music each spring. This year's theme is ESO World Tour with a focus on music from around the world and features young artist Claire Arias-Kim on violin. Traveling Ensembles visit schools to instill a joy of listening and learning about the various instruments and sections of the orchestra. Musicians Care offers musical solace to patients at Sherman Advocate Hospital, Elgin, Advocate Good Shepard and JourneyCare in Barrington. More information on all ESO educational activities can be found at ElginSymphony.Org.

With a unique combination of intensity, enthusiasm and technical clarity, American conductor Andrew Grams has steadily built a reputation for his dynamic concerts, ability to connect with audiences, and long-term orchestra building. He's the winner of 2015 Conductor of the Year from the Illinois Council of Orchestras and has led orchestras throughout the United States including the Chicago Symphony, Detroit Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, and the Houston Symphony.

Now in his 6th ESO season, Andrew Grams became music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra after an international search. His charismatic conducting and easy accessibility have made him a favorite of Elgin Symphony audiences. He has extended his contract with the ESO through 2021. A frequent traveler, Mr. Grams has worked extensively with orchestras abroad, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Orchester der Beethovenhalle Bonn, BBC Symphony Orchestra London, Sydney Symphony, Melbourne and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Last season, Mr. Grams conducted Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts Orchestra, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, Sacramento Philharmonic, the Tulsa, Santa Rosa, Kalamazoo, and Omaha Symphony Orchestras, Sewanee Symphony Orchestra, the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague, Netherlands and New York City Ballet's George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®. This season, Mr. Grams will conduct the Sacramento Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, Curtis Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb Philharmonic, Fort Worth Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Detroit Symphony, Amsterdam Conservatory of Music, National Orchestral Institute, Colorado Music Festival and Minnesota Orchestra Sommerfest.

Born in Severn, Maryland, Mr. Grams began studying the violin when he was eight years old. In 1999 he received a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from The Juilliard School, and in 2003 he received a conducting degree from the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Otto-Werner Mueller. He was selected to spend the summer of 2003 studying with David Zinman, Murry Sidlin and Michael Stern at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen and returned to that program again in 2004. Mr. Grams served as Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra from 2004-2007 where he worked under the guidance of Franz Welser-Möst, and has since returned for several engagements.

As an accomplished violinist, Mr. Grams was a member of the New York City Ballet Orchestra from 1998-2004, serving as acting associate principal second violin in 2002 and 2004. Additionally, he has performed with ensembles including the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the New Jersey Symphony. To learn more about Andrew Grams, visit andrewgrams.com, @andrewhilarygrams on Facebook and instragram.com/andrewhgrams.

Now in its 68th season, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra (ESO) offers programming unmatched for an entertaining, informative and relaxing cultural experience. The ESO's won Illinois Professional Orchestra of the Year a record-setting four times - in 1988, 1999, 2005 and 2016. The ESO strives to create an enjoyable entertainment experience that goes beyond the magnificent music performed by some of the best musicians in the country. There is accessible, free parking around the Hemmens Cultural Center and valet service available. The event often features musicians performing in the lobby before concerts, and patrons can purchase unique, music-themed gifts at the Elgin Symphony League Boutique. Pre-concert chats are given by music director Andrew Grams, guest artists and others one hour before most performances. Saturday night patrons are invited after concerts to meet Andrew Grams, guest artists and ESO musicians at Mingle with the Musicians, held at area restaurants. Music historian Jim Kendros offers free Listeners Club discussions the Wednesday before ESO Classics Series concert weekends at Greenfields of Geneva and the Gail Borden Public Library. Flex passes are available for choosing concerts at a later date, and if a patron can't make a concert, the ESO offers free exchanges to subscribers and to single ticket buyers for a small fee. The ESO is a world-class orchestra presenting quality musical explorations of some of the greatest music ever written, conveniently located close to home in the western suburbs. The ESO-Transforming the Symphony Experience. ElginSymphony.Org.

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